Traveling type-writing machine.



No. 702,493; Patnted June l7, I902.

R. S. SHAW.

TRAVELING TYPE WRITING MACHINE. (Application filed Aug 5, 1901.

(No Model.)

WI THESSES:

" TH: Maxims PETERS 00.. PHOTO-LITNQ, snmcnump. c.

I UNITED." STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT sIMPsoNsHAw, or WANSTEAD, ENGLAND.

TRAVELING TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,493, dated June 17, 1902.

Application filed August 5, 1901. Serial No. 70,947- (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it'known that LROBERT SIMPSON SHAW, a subject of theKing ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at Wanstead, in the county of Essex, England, have. invented an Improved Traveling T ype-Writin g Machine, (for which I have made application for Letters Patent in GreatBritain, under No.4 76,bearing,

is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved system of traveling type-Writing machines movdate January 8, 1901,) of which the following ing on desks or tab1es,as may be desired, and

to means therefor, and has for its object the avoidance of the displacement and mixing of letters, invoices, delivery-notes, and distinct forms of papers used in general. business in order to bring them to a type-writing machine and to a desk using the same; but, on the contrary, my system enables one or more type-writing machines to be brought atany time to definite-positions upon a desk, table, or range of desks to deal with and reproduce such respective forms in the predetermined position at which it is desired that such forms and papers should remain without'removal and without the risk of mixing them by hail-- dling for removal and typing.

In order that myinvention may be the better understood,I now proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings hereto annexed and to the letters marked thereon.

Figure 1 is aplan, to a small scale, of a desk, table, or range of desks or tables fitted to my system. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of a single platen with type-writer frames superposed and ready for moving. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of such desk with a type-writer frame ready for traveling. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan of a single platen with type-writer frame superposed and positioned. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of such desk with a type-,

Writer frame temporarily secured in Stilt for typing.

a is a range of desks or tables'in continuity with one anohter, and bl) are platens or beds sunk'flush, and thus secured permanently at fixedstations upon thesaid range of desks allotted for dealing with specific forms of pa pers which it is not desired should be mixed with others or removed from such place. Such a platen is already known as a component part of certain type-writers, asis also a rectangular frame, such as the frame 0, upon which is mounted,'so as in the usual manner to travel laterally over the paper and to slide to and from the operator either by hand or by step-to-step feedfor successive lines, a type-writer 7a, printing upon paper laid upon the platen b. n

p In the ordinary book type-writer the key and printing apparatus mounted upon the frame 0 are hinged to and form part of the lower platen b and may be raised therefrom bysuch hinge to release and remove the paper from such platen.

Under my system I separate the frame 0 with its mounted type-writer entirely from the platen-bed b, thelatter, as before mentioned, being fixed and sunk into the surface ofthe desk. I mount the frame 0 upon casters cZ',-Which may be conveniently of the ball type, so that the frame moves equally well in the desired directions. I show four casters in the drawings, one at each corner of the rectangular frame a; butI may use only three, if desired, as giving an equally stable support. I-provide two longitudinal rails 6 cf along the length of the desk, of which the rear one, e, is sunk in the deskto retain the caster or casters traveling thereon, and the front one, e, is conveniently flush with the NVhen the frame 0 and its mounted typewriter rest by their casters upon the rails e e, p

the frame 0 is disengaged from the'platem bed I) and is elevated above it, as in Fig. 3, a suitable height to clear any work consisting of any papers on the platen-bed b or adjoining beds ready for being dealt with. The frame 0 and its mounted type-writer can now be move'd over the rails to and over anyof the platen-beds b. When in exact ,position to any one of such platen-beds, the frame 0 is drawn to the operator, the casters traveling down the inclined beds of the slotsff, and thus comes down with its cross-bars fitting into recesses f ateach end of the platen, so as to fit alongside the edges of the said platen-bed b, and is by this means secured in definite position to such bed for type-writing thereon. When the work at this bed has been accomplished, the operator pushing the frame 0 and type-writer thereon from him causes the frame tomount the inclined beds of the slots ff, and thus to return to the traveling rails e e, disengaged from the platen-bed 1). Thus one type-writer and frame may be utilized to carry on typing over any number of adjacent platen-beds, and the various forms of documents can be typed and dealt with, each atits own platen-bed and without admixture or removal therefrom until completed.

Having now described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, an extended table, a series of separate and distinct platens thereon, a type-writer having a rigid rectangular under frame adapted to travel freely on a smooth surface, and means recessed into said table and forming part thereof, for guiding said frame over such platens, and for definitely positioning and holding said frame in relation to any desired platen of said series, substantially as described.

2. In combination with an extended table, platens disposed thereon at different points, rails extending longitudinally to the said table in front of and in rear of the platens, a type-writerhavingarectangular under frame; antifrictional means adapted to such frame for running on said rails; and means whereby a type-writer may be definitely located and held in proper position in relation to the desired platen, the said rails serving to support and guide the type-writer in its movement along the said table, substantially as de scribed.

3. In combination, an extended table,

platens disposed thereon at different points; rails running longitudinally in front of and in rear of said platens; a type-writer having a rectangular under frame casters supporting said type-Writer frame and adapted to run on the said rails; and means for definitely positioning and holding the said type-writer frame in relation to the desired platen, substantially as described.

at. In combination an extended table; platens fixed thereon at different points; rails extending longitudinally in front of and in rear of the said platens; atype-writer having a rectangular under frame; casters upon which the said type-Writer frame is supported, to move easily on the rails; and slots in the said table extending at right angles to the rails, and having inclined bottoms, whereby the said type-writer frame will be definitely located and held in proper position to the desired platen, substantially as described.

5. A typewriter table having a plurality of platens disposed at different points; a typewriter having a rectangular under frame; supports under said frame adapted to permit movement of frame easily in any direction; means for guiding the type writer frame when moved longitudinally to the table; and means for positioning and holding the said type-Writer frame in relation to the platen when the type-Writer frame is moved transversely to the table, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT SIMPSON SIIAV.

, IVitnesses:

RICHARD A. HOFFMANN, CHARLES CARTER. 

